Anthony Edwards had a night he’d probably rather forget Tuesday in Orlando, but the Timberwolves hardly flinched.
Edwards misfired on 18 of his 23 shots against the Magic, and by the numbers, it was the worst shooting night of his career in any game where he took at least 20 attempts. After opening the season with a dazzling 45-point performance, it was a sharp drop-off for Minnesota’s leading scorer. Still, the Wolves walked away with a 22-point win, and that mattered far more than Edwards’ line.
What made this one stand out was how Minnesota won it. Against Miami in the opener, the Wolves lit it up offensively.
This time, they took a different route. They defended, cleaned the glass and squeezed production out of the whole roster.
It wasn’t flashy, but it was effective.
Minnesota finished with 14 more field goal attempts and 11 more free throw attempts than Orlando, which is how a game with both teams shooting below 45 percent still ended with the Wolves putting up 115 points. The possession battle was the difference, plain and simple.
The Timberwolves grabbed 22 offensive rebounds, including seven from Joan Beringer, while the Magic managed only eight. Add in Minnesota turning it over four fewer times, and the gap in extra chances became enormous.
That kind of edge is exactly what teams need on a night when the shot-making disappears.
Edwards still co-led the Wolves with 15 points, even with the rough shooting night. Jaden McDaniels matched him with 15, continuing to make Minnesota look sharp for handing him that one-year, $40 million contract extension last week. McDaniels wasn’t perfect either, but he gave the Wolves enough offense when they needed it.
Ayo Dosunmu was the most efficient non-center in the group, finishing with 14 points on 6-for-11 shooting to go with nine assists and seven rebounds. He gave Minnesota a little of everything, just as he has since arriving.
Terrence Shannon Jr. chipped in with nine points, including a pair of threes, and Trey Lyles added nine points and six rebounds in 17 minutes. Beringer also scored nine, with most of his points coming right after offensive boards.
The bigger takeaway may be the bench. Minnesota got 48 points from its reserves, a strong early sign for a unit that carried plenty of questions into the season.
Eight other Timberwolves scored at least nine points, and seven players finished in double figures overall. The offense didn’t come from one place; it came from everywhere.
Now the Wolves head back home for Sunday night’s game against the Toronto Raptors at Target Center. Minnesota is 2-0, with both wins coming by more than 20 points, and Michael Grady and Jim Petersen were back on the mic for DAZN in Orlando. After last season’s grind, this start feels like something else entirely.
In Other News...
Anthony Edwards Has The Wolves Drawing Real Attention Already
Before the home opener, the Timberwolves were already drawing attention from the other sideline, with Raptors coach Darko Rajakovi making it clear he sees Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball as part of a young backcourt that can grab a leaguewide audience. He also pointed to the overall talent on Minnesotas roster, a sign the Wolves are starting to look like a team opponents are studying closely instead of simply preparing for.
Toronto arrives shorthanded, too, after ruling out Kawhi Leonard because of knee swelling, which only sharpens the backdrop for a game that has a little more weight than a typical early-season matchup. For Minnesota, this is the kind of night that can help confirm the growing buzz around Edwards and the group around him, especially when an opposing coach is already talking about the matchup in flattering terms. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Showed Off A New Strength In A Blowout Win
The Timberwolves first home game of the season came with the kind of cushion teams usually earn only after theyve built a real identity. Minnesota rolled past Toronto by 23 points, making it three straight wins by 20 or more and offering another reminder that this group can now overwhelm opponents in stretches even when the rotation is forced to shift around. With LaMelo Ball limited by foul trouble, the Wolves leaned deeper into the bench, and players like Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. helped keep the pressure on.
There was still a flaw tucked inside the blowout, though, and its one Minnesota will want to clean up as the schedule tightens. The offense kept humming, but the defensive rebounding lagged, especially in minutes when Rudy Gobert sat, allowing Toronto extra chances it probably never should have had in a game that lopsided. For a team playing this well, those empty possessions are the kind of detail that can matter a lot more when the margin shrinks. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves 3-0 Start Is Fueling Real Belief In Their Depth
Three games into the season, the Timberwolves have already shown why depth can matter as much as star power in the grind of an NBA schedule. Minnesotas 3-0 start came against playoff-caliber Eastern Conference teams, and the common thread has been a bench that keeps producing instead of just surviving minutes before the stars return. Role players have looked comfortable in real rotation roles, giving the Wolves a more layered feel than a team still trying to find its footing.
Ayo Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Trey Lyles have all given Minnesota useful minutes, the kind that can change the tone of a game when the first unit needs a breather. Jonathan Kuminga has fit that same mold as a complementary starter, giving the Wolves efficient offense without needing the ball to dominate possession, and that kind of balance is exactly what makes this early run feel meaningful. The real question now is how long this level of contribution can hold, because if the supporting cast stays this reliable, Minnesotas early belief might be grounded in something real. [Read more 🡒]